ACT MP Todd Stephenson Calls for Human Rights Commission Abolishment

ACT MP Todd Stephenson has called for the abolition of New Zealand's Human Rights Commission, claiming that its recent hiring of another high-paid CEO and launch of an advertising campaign showed that it was "begging to be scrapped".

Stephenson argued that the Commission's functions were merely a reflection of left-wing lobbying groups and that it had "gone beyond salvage", with its resources better used elsewhere.

The comments come after Justice Minister Chris Finlayson chose not to reappoint Paul Hunt as Human Rights Commissioner, with Stephenson stating that this was "a good start" but that the government needed to go further.